Falling Forward

To all of you who have asked if we had some kind of web site, I stumble into the next stage of our journey in Thailand. Let's call this the blog stage. AKA the moment on our present furlough when my kind hearted bro-in-law availed himself to my non e-lifestyle (thanks Jackson!!!). I hope you who are reading this enjoy this effort to be informational, insightful, and transparent. Our days in Thailand deserve so much more than I am able to jot down in my spare time, yet I will give you my best and promise to try to make it fun for the both of us.

At this moment we are in Waco, Texas with Jackson and Erin. They are life to us, and each of us has a place of peace here. Maybe I will go running with Jackson tomorrow and maybe we will go to the zoo. Furlough is the time in our life when we overdose on the massive love of so many people who think and pray about us when we are far away. It can be tiring to go all over and share the same things again and again, but God's hands are all over us each place we go. Tired bodies with full hearts... not a bad trade-off.

The new good news. Samuel Jakarin Pennington will join our family upon our return to Thailand. A few weeks ago the Thai government wrote us an e-mail informing us that we can go to an orphanage in South Thailand and pick up the child we have been matched with for some 4 months now. This is a sweet culmination of many of God's promises to us during this past season. So we are so thankful. The challenge is that we are here and he is there. Our plan is to return in June. Everyone asks, "Well are you going to go get him or what?" Unfortunately, The Lord has not given us this option at the present (the Thai Gov. won't let us get him and bring him back immediately and there are many important plans and items of business yet to complete before we return including Kate's passport, visas, meetings, family events etc.). Even before we had the okay to go get him, Julie had a sweet picture from God of Little Jak in His arms. We are holding on to this reality and looking forward to having our family together in June. Ben and Kate are extremely excited about their Thai little brother. Their service to their mom and myself will make this transition so much easier. We are so thankful.

So if you like this idea of me blogging about our journey in Thailand, jot me a note to encourage me. Tell me what you like about our newsletters. Tell me what touches you about all this mess we have gotten ourselves into. Tell me what you pray for us or what you need prayers for. I am so thankful to have the moments of interest you set aside for my family. I will work hard to be brief and give away some of the rice (I would say bread but that would not quite be appropriate would it?) Jesus gives us each day.

Your words to Jesus in our behalf sustain us. Thank you.

Peace of Jesus,
bp